Jackknifing angle influencing apparatus for articulated motor vehicle

Abstract

In an anti-jackknifing apparatus for an articulated motor vehicle having a device filled with a pressure medium, the volume of which varies according to the magnitude of the jackknifing angle. The device has two movable opposite walls, each connected to one of the vehicle units. The device comprises an air spring connected to a working medium supply source.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. In an anti-jackknifing apparatus for an articulated motor vehicle, having damping means containing a pressure medium which is responsive to the magnitude of the jackknifing angle to vary the volume thereof and including two opposite relatively movable walls, the damping means being connectable to one of the vehicle units, and the movable walls being connectable to the other vehicle unit via transmission elements, the improvement wherein the damping means comprises an air spring and a working medium supply source connected thereto, means forming stops on said one of the vehicle units for mounting the air spring and limiting the extreme positions of the movable walls and a frame surrounding the air spring and engaging the walls and connected to one transmission element on said one vehicle unit. 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the damping means further comprises an adjustable flow regulating valve connecting the air spring and working medium supply source. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the damping means further comprises control means connected to the flow regulating valve for producing an actuating signal for a specified value of selected motion-dynamic characteristic. 
     
     
       4. In an anti-jackknifing apparatus for an articulated motor vehicle, having damping means containing a pressure medium which is responsive to the magnitude of the jackknifing angle to vary the volume thereof and including two opposite relatively movable walls, the damping means being connectable to one of the vehicle units, and the movable walls being connectable to the other vehicle unit via transmission elements, the improvement wherein the damping means comprises an air spring and a working medium supply source connected thereto and further comprising a hydraulic braking device of progressive characteristic functioning in two directions pivotably connected between the vehicle units. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising locking means pivotably connected between the two vehicle units for limiting the existing permissible jackknifing angle for a given steering angle and motion-dynamic characteristic value. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the locking means comprises a locking control unit and further comprising a flow regulating valve interconnecting the working spaces of the hydraulic braking device of progressive characteristic with the locking control unit.